ARGX vs. LLY: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at ARGX and LLY, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Overview
LLY’s market capitalization of 739.87 billion USD is significantly greater than ARGX’s 33.18 billion USD, highlighting its more substantial market valuation.
LLY carries a higher beta at 0.39, indicating it’s more sensitive to market moves, while ARGX (beta: 0.04) exhibits greater stability.
ARGX trades as an American Depositary Receipt (ADR), offering U.S. investors a convenient way to access its foreign-listed shares. In contrast, LLY is a standard domestic listing.
| Symbol | ARGX | LLY |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | argenx SE | Eli Lilly and Company |
| Country | NL | US |
| Sector | Healthcare | Healthcare |
| Industry | Biotechnology | Drug Manufacturers - General |
| CEO | Timothy Van Hauwermeiren EMBA, | David A. Ricks |
| Price | 543.48 USD | 780.67 USD |
| Market Cap | 33.18 billion USD | 739.87 billion USD |
| Beta | 0.04 | 0.39 |
| Exchange | NASDAQ | NYSE |
| IPO Date | May 18, 2017 | June 1, 1972 |
| ADR | Yes | No |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of ARGX and LLY by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period.
Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.
Profitability
Return on Equity
ARGX
16.83%
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 72.39%
- Q3
- -6.30%
- Median
- -32.82%
- Q1
- -68.26%
- Min
- -147.61%
In the upper quartile for the Biotechnology industry, ARGX’s Return on Equity of 16.83% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.
LLY
76.92%
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 95.59%
- Q3
- 76.92%
- Median
- 30.71%
- Q1
- 8.97%
- Min
- -14.85%
LLY’s Return on Equity of 76.92% is on par with the norm for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
Return on Invested Capital
ARGX
-118.38%
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 48.74%
- Q3
- -10.68%
- Median
- -31.65%
- Q1
- -52.92%
- Min
- -113.69%
ARGX has a negative Return on Invested Capital of -118.38%. This indicates that its operations are failing to generate a profit on the total capital invested, signaling significant inefficiency or value destruction.
LLY
25.72%
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 25.72%
- Q3
- 17.89%
- Median
- 11.47%
- Q1
- 9.39%
- Min
- 2.87%
In the upper quartile for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry, LLY’s Return on Invested Capital of 25.72% signifies a highly effective use of its capital to generate profits when compared to its peers.
Net Profit Margin
ARGX
37.53%
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 87.75%
- Q3
- -5.05%
- Median
- -103.44%
- Q1
- -1,032.77%
- Min
- -2,366.07%
A Net Profit Margin of 37.53% places ARGX in the upper quartile for the Biotechnology industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
LLY
22.66%
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 34.51%
- Q3
- 23.04%
- Median
- 14.73%
- Q1
- 11.78%
- Min
- 2.18%
LLY’s Net Profit Margin of 22.66% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Drug Manufacturers - General industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.
Operating Profit Margin
ARGX
-1.24%
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 87.75%
- Q3
- -3.28%
- Median
- -115.26%
- Q1
- -1,188.86%
- Min
- -2,943.30%
ARGX has a negative Operating Profit Margin of -1.24%. This signifies the company is unprofitable at the operational level, as its core business expenses exceed its revenue.
LLY
40.70%
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 40.70%
- Q3
- 28.90%
- Median
- 23.41%
- Q1
- 19.05%
- Min
- 16.13%
An Operating Profit Margin of 40.70% places LLY in the upper quartile for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | ARGX | LLY |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 16.83% | 76.92% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 13.45% | 12.42% |
| Return on Invested Capital (TTM) | -118.38% | 25.72% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 37.53% | 22.66% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | -1.24% | 40.70% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 46.33% | 81.70% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio
ARGX
7.29
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 28.73
- Q3
- 13.97
- Median
- 6.31
- Q1
- 3.60
- Min
- 0.02
ARGX’s Current Ratio of 7.29 aligns with the median group of the Biotechnology industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
LLY
1.37
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 1.67
- Q3
- 1.37
- Median
- 1.26
- Q1
- 0.87
- Min
- 0.39
LLY’s Current Ratio of 1.37 aligns with the median group of the Drug Manufacturers - General industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio
ARGX
0.01
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 0.46
- Q3
- 0.22
- Median
- 0.06
- Q1
- 0.02
- Min
- 0.00
Falling into the lower quartile for the Biotechnology industry, ARGX’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.01 points to a conservative financing strategy. This results in lower financial risk but potentially limits strategic investments compared to more leveraged competitors.
LLY
2.44
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 2.95
- Q3
- 2.44
- Median
- 0.86
- Q1
- 0.68
- Min
- 0.09
LLY’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 2.44 is typical for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
Interest Coverage Ratio
ARGX
-20.85
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 108.32
- Q3
- -0.55
- Median
- -8.49
- Q1
- -74.83
- Min
- -168.36
ARGX has a negative Interest Coverage Ratio of -20.85. This indicates that its earnings were insufficient to cover even its operational costs, let alone its interest payments, signaling significant financial distress.
LLY
23.61
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 27.46
- Q3
- 14.40
- Median
- 7.80
- Q1
- 4.07
- Min
- 1.67
LLY’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 23.61 is in the upper quartile for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry, signifying a strong and healthy capacity to meet its interest payments from operating profits.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | ARGX | LLY |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (TTM) | 7.29 | 1.37 |
| Quick Ratio (TTM) | 6.68 | 1.06 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (TTM) | 0.01 | 2.44 |
| Debt-to-Asset Ratio (TTM) | 0.01 | 0.43 |
| Net Debt-to-EBITDA Ratio (TTM) | -189.75 | 2.18 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | -20.85 | 23.61 |
Growth
The following charts compare key year-over-year (YoY) growth metrics for ARGX and LLY. These metrics are based on the companies’ annual financial reports.
Revenue Growth
Earnings Per Share (EPS) Growth
Free Cash Flow Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield
ARGX
0.00%
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
ARGX currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.
LLY
0.72%
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 8.72%
- Q3
- 4.10%
- Median
- 3.34%
- Q1
- 1.89%
- Min
- 0.00%
LLY’s Dividend Yield of 0.72% is in the lower quartile for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry. This suggests the company’s strategy likely favors retaining earnings for growth over providing a high dividend income.
Dividend Payout Ratio
ARGX
0.00%
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
ARGX has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.
LLY
43.74%
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 266.46%
- Q3
- 78.91%
- Median
- 60.27%
- Q1
- 43.74%
- Min
- 0.00%
LLY’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 43.74% is within the typical range for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | ARGX | LLY |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.72% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 0.00% | 43.74% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio
ARGX
48.48
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 78.44
- Q3
- 48.98
- Median
- 20.50
- Q1
- 12.64
- Min
- 2.14
ARGX’s P/E Ratio of 48.48 is within the middle range for the Biotechnology industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
LLY
63.17
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 27.96
- Q3
- 25.84
- Median
- 18.32
- Q1
- 16.65
- Min
- 3.39
At 63.17, LLY’s P/E Ratio is exceptionally high, exceeding the typical maximum for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry. This suggests the stock may be significantly overvalued compared to its peers and implies high market expectations that could be difficult to meet.
Forward P/E to Growth Ratio
ARGX
1.27
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 2.29
- Q3
- 1.10
- Median
- 0.49
- Q1
- 0.16
- Min
- 0.02
A Forward PEG Ratio of 1.27 places ARGX in the upper quartile for the Biotechnology industry. This suggests the stock is potentially expensive compared to its peers relative to its growth forecast, which may warrant caution.
LLY
2.81
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 3.10
- Q3
- 3.09
- Median
- 2.72
- Q1
- 2.18
- Min
- 1.02
LLY’s Forward PEG Ratio of 2.81 is within the middle range of its peers in the Drug Manufacturers - General industry. This suggests a reasonable balance between the stock’s price and its expected growth, aligning with sector valuation norms.
Price-to-Sales Ratio
ARGX
15.66
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 110.90
- Q3
- 59.76
- Median
- 11.33
- Q1
- 4.45
- Min
- 0.17
ARGX’s P/S Ratio of 15.66 aligns with the market consensus for the Biotechnology industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.
LLY
15.10
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 6.47
- Q3
- 4.47
- Median
- 3.53
- Q1
- 1.96
- Min
- 0.41
With a P/S Ratio of 15.10, LLY trades at a valuation that eclipses even the highest in the Drug Manufacturers - General industry. This implies the market has priced in exceptionally optimistic scenarios for future revenue growth, posing considerable valuation risk.
Price-to-Book Ratio
ARGX
7.35
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 15.78
- Q3
- 7.44
- Median
- 3.31
- Q1
- 1.58
- Min
- 0.31
The P/B Ratio is often not a primary valuation metric for the Biotechnology industry.
LLY
44.50
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 7.80
- Q3
- 7.80
- Median
- 5.30
- Q1
- 4.06
- Min
- 1.08
The P/B Ratio is often not a primary valuation metric for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | ARGX | LLY |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (P/E, TTM) | 48.48 | 63.17 |
| Forward PEG Ratio (TTM) | 1.27 | 2.81 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (P/S, TTM) | 15.66 | 15.10 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (P/B, TTM) | 7.35 | 44.50 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (P/FCF, TTM) | -432.72 | 1518.61 |
| EV-to-EBITDA (TTM) | 4329.99 | 47.64 |
| EV-to-Sales (TTM) | 15.00 | 15.82 |